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Teams of election workers on Thursday will begin hand counting close to 48,000 ballots after the state Board of Elections ordered the full hand recount in the race for District 2 Buncombe County commissioner.

The state board approved the hand recount during an emergency meeting held by conference call on Tuesday.

"It would appear to me that without question, given the difference which the sample recount produced, that those candidates are entitled to their request for a full recount," state Board of Elections Chairman Larry Leake said. ...